Marking its 40th anniversary in 2026, Prism Health North Texas (PHNTX) will host a series of events celebrating its legacy of care, build community connections that strengthen public health, and raise funds to expand access to essential healthcare services.
Forty & Forward, a milestone gathering of civic leaders, partners, donors, advocates celebrating four decades of trusted care, will take place from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. on Friday, May 15 at The Empire Room in Dallas located at 1225 N Riverfront Boulevard. The event will honor four decades of trusted, community-centered care while supporting increased pediatric services to include behavioral health and specialized asthma care at the Oak Cliff and South Dallas Health Center locations. Individual tickets range from $140 to $400, and sponsorships are available at the $40,000, $25,000, $10,000, $5,000, and $2,500 levels.
Care on the Block, a free neighborhood block party will be held from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 16 at the South Dallas Health Center at 4922 Spring Avenue, which is located in one of the region’s highest need neighborhoods. This fun, family-friendly event will feature activities for kids, music, food, engagements with local community partners, and a chance to meet the providers caring for Dallasites of all ages, regardless of their ability to pay.
Additional events, including the beloved annual Miss LifeWalk pageant, Clover Classic, and Care, On the Rocks, will be held in the fall of 2026.
“For four decades, Prism Health North Texas has been where our community turns when care can’t wait,” said Kim Burgan, Chief Marketing & Development Officer. “Our providers and teams support more than 17,000 patients of all ages from all over North Texas annually, and support of this work has never mattered more as costs rise and access shrinks.”
Founded in 1986 as AIDS Arms Network at the height of the HIV/AIDS crisis, the organization was formed to serve individuals living with AIDS facing both limited care options and widespread stigma. Under the leadership of Executive Director Warren “Buck” Buckingham, AIDS ARMS built a coalition of 12 partner agencies to coordinate medical and social support. In 1989, the organization achieved 501c3 nonprofit status, strengthening the foundation for long-term impact.
Throughout the 1990s, the organization expanded its reach through new health centers, innovative fundraising initiatives, and led groundbreaking clinical research for HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention. PHNTX was one of the first community-based organizations participating in National Institutes of Health (NIH) sponsored AIDS clinical research trials which enabled access to HIV therapies sometimes years in advance to some of the highest need patients in the Dallas community. The organization still leads clinical research in the field today, bringing groundbreaking treatments and prevention tools to the community.
“Forty years ago the best we could offer, and which we consistently delivered, was dignity and compassion for young people dying in terrifying numbers,” said Warren “Buck” Buckingham, the first Executive Director of AIDS ARMS Network. “I’m incredibly gratified that advances in healthcare and continued community support have turned PHNTX into a trusted resource for so many and look forward to celebrating this milestone together.”
AIDS Arms Network became Prism Health North Texas in 2017, signaling a broader mission to serve the wider community while staying rooted in HIV care. The acquisition of Uptown Physicians Group, establishment of PHNTX Pharmacy and Dental Care, and opening of the Worth Street Health Center primed the organization to fully expand its services to Dallasites of all ages.
In 2024, 35 years after it became a 501c3, PHNTX was designated a Federally Qualified Health Center Look-Alike after a years-long application process that supported the establishment of women’s health and pediatric care service lines, as well as expanding primary care for all ages. With this designation, PHNTX continues to serve as a safety net for the community with a belief that everyone deserves to be healthy and provides care to anyone regardless of their ability to pay, accepting private insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, and offering a sliding fee-scale for those without coverage.
“We started as an idea and a vision of hope at a time of crisis, and from that inspired beginning grew and evolved along the same lines that our community and the innovations for HIV care developed,” said Dr. John Carlo, CEO of PHNTX. “Today, while we have grown to serve more than 17,000 patients each year, our focus remains what it was when we first began: to have patient-first, personalized care. This milestone was only possible through the incredible dedication of so many people here in North Texas who served in numerous capacities, large and small. We hope this celebration galvanizes inspiration to continue our mission, build our services further, and enable even more patients to access the care they need.”
More information about the 40th anniversary, PHNTX services, and sponsorship opportunities may be found at PHNTX40.org.